What's Required Local education agencies (LEAs) serving students with disabilities residing in residential facilities (RFs) located within the LEA’s geographic boundaries and/or jurisdictions are subject to the RF monitoring system. In accordance with 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §97.1072, the RFM system provides for standards and procedures for data collection (i.e., RF Tracker) and monitoring of the special education programs provided to students with disabilities residing in RFs. The RFM system has been established to improve performance and compliance with federal and state special education requirements for a unique and vulnerable population of students who often have limited access to family members who can advocate for their educational needs. The definition of a RF, for the purposes of the RFM system, is a facility that provides 24-hour custody or care of students who reside in the facility for detention, treatment, foster care, or any non-educational purpose. A RF does not include traditional foster homes licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDFPS) as Foster Family Homes (Independent).
What We Do The RF student transfer process will follow the steps outlined in the HISD Students with Disabilities Transfer Procedure. When a student with disabilities who resides in a residential facility enrolls in a school, The campus registrar:
verifies parental status of the individual(s) enrolling the student.
electronically request and receive student records for students who have attended Texas public schools by using Texas Records Exchange (TREx); including information concerning a student’s course or grade completion; teachers of record; assessment instrument results; receipt of special education services, including placement in a special education program and the individualized education program developed; and personal graduation plan.
contact previous school district(s) to verify special education services for a RF student transferring from within or outside the state
In consultation with the parent/surrogate parent, FAPE is provided, including services comparable to those described in the student’s IEP from the previous school district. The ARD/IEP Committee will conduct a 30 day placement ARD/IEP meeting within 30 school days to either adopt the student’s IEP from the previous school district; or develop, adopt, and implement a new IEP.
If the parent/surrogate parent reports that the previous IEP was not appropriate; and campus personnel are not going to provide comparable services; an ARD/IEP Committee must be convened as soon as possible to develop an IEP that will be utilized until the 30 Day Permanent Placement ARD/IEP Meeting is held. In this situation, the ARD/IEP Committee must provide justification in the IEP why comparable services are not being provided.
Residential Facility (RF) Tracker
HISD will use the RF Tracker data collection system to report student with disabilities residing in a RF within its boundaries or jurisdiction. Information entered into the RF Tracker system from the previous year collection (facilities and RF students) will be rolled over to the current year to give HISD a starting point for data entry. It is necessary to update existing data to reflect current school year information, and/or add and delete records for additional facilities or RF students that are no longer within HISD’s boundaries or jurisdiction. Verification of information is based on a review of the IEP document from the previous school district or the most current IEP document in EasyIEP, Chancery SMS, and the Surrogate Parent Appointment List.
Local education agencies (LEAs) serving students with disabilities residing in residential facilities (RFs) located within the LEA’s geographic boundaries and/or jurisdictions are subject to the RF monitoring system. In accordance with 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §97.1072, the RFM system provides for standards and procedures for data collection (i.e., RF Tracker) and monitoring of the special education programs provided to students with disabilities residing in RFs. The RFM system has been established to improve performance and compliance with federal and state special education requirements for a unique and vulnerable population of students who often have limited access to family members who can advocate for their educational needs. The definition of a RF, for the purposes of the RFM system, is a facility that provides 24-hour custody or care of students who reside in the facility for detention, treatment, foster care, or any non-educational purpose. A RF does not include traditional foster homes licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDFPS) as Foster Family Homes (Independent).
What We Do
The RF student transfer process will follow the steps outlined in the HISD Students with Disabilities Transfer Procedure. When a student with disabilities who resides in a residential facility enrolls in a school, The campus registrar:
The special education chairperson:
In consultation with the parent/surrogate parent, FAPE is provided, including services comparable to those described in the student’s IEP from the previous school district. The ARD/IEP Committee will conduct a 30 day placement ARD/IEP meeting within 30 school days to either adopt the student’s IEP from the previous school district; or develop, adopt, and implement a new IEP.
If the parent/surrogate parent reports that the previous IEP was not appropriate; and campus personnel are not going to provide comparable services; an ARD/IEP Committee must be convened as soon as possible to develop an IEP that will be utilized until the 30 Day Permanent Placement ARD/IEP Meeting is held. In this situation, the ARD/IEP Committee must provide justification in the IEP why comparable services are not being provided.
Residential Facility (RF) Tracker
HISD will use the RF Tracker data collection system to report student with disabilities residing in a RF within its boundaries or jurisdiction. Information entered into the RF Tracker system from the previous year collection (facilities and RF students) will be rolled over to the current year to give HISD a starting point for data entry. It is necessary to update existing data to reflect current school year information, and/or add and delete records for additional facilities or RF students that are no longer within HISD’s boundaries or jurisdiction. Verification of information is based on a review of the IEP document from the previous school district or the most current IEP document in EasyIEP, Chancery SMS, and the Surrogate Parent Appointment List.
Review the RF Manual. Submit questions to RF_Monitoring@houstonisd.org.
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